The Cloud Linux company in Princeton NJ has released its like-named operating system in version 5.5. The LiteSpeed webserver is now partnering with it to provide a corresponding version 4.0.14.

CloudLinux, like CentOS, is based on the GPL sources of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The new 5.5 release is synchronized with CentOS of the same version. The most striking feature of CloudLinux is the homegrown Lightweight Virtual Environment (LVE) kernel extension. Similar to OpenVZ, for example, the feature allows customers in Web hosting and data center operations to provide isolated environments within a single operating system instance. The process caps the resources of individual environments so that they don't bring the whole system down. Cloud Linux promises that the feature can thereby provide more hosting accounts with no change in hardware.

CloudLinux is available for free download for Intel 32-bit and 64-bit processors. The company also sells subscriptions. The download page includes a script to migrate from CentOS to CloudLinux and instructions how to enable Apache LVE support.

Cloud Linux called upon LiteSpeed as its first partner in matters LVE. LiteSpeed, also based in New Jersey, integrated the technology into its version 4.0.14 webserver. Interesting features such as chroot jail, throttling per virtual host and performance optimization are unfortunately part of LiteSpeed's cost-based Enterprise Edition only.

"I love the fact that BitNami is helping to drive adoption of open source and the cloud by making them accessible to users of all skill levels - not just 'hardcore techies' or systems administrators." — Erica Brescia, BitRock CEO